Admire Deus

Tomoyuki Umeda, trainer
“It’ll be a tough race going beyond 3,000 meters, and the opposition’s strong. Having said that, this horse has potential. He’s trained well with this longer distance in mind. He ran well last time after a spell, and I think second up he’ll be even better. I’m looking forward to the race and want to see him win.”

Albert

Kazutomo Mori, assistant trainer
“I think he can genuinely take on a Grade 1 now. He’s in better shape now than when he won the Diamond Stakes. He finished sixth in last year’s Tenno Sho (Spring), and I think he can do more this time. His breathing’s good, he’s filled out more, and is looking more muscular.”

Cheval Grand

Yasuo Tomomichi, trainer
“He’s moved well when training with other horses in these past couple of weeks. I think he’ll have no problem with the extra distance if things go smoothly, and I’m very happy with his condition. He’s 100% going into this race.”

Yuichi Fukunaga, jockey
“In last year’s race, he started a little slowly, and we raced a bit further back than I’d have liked. Consequently, he took a bit of time to pick up. I think he’s better this year, and has become an easier horse to ride. It won’t be an easy race, but with all the work the staff have put in to get him in top condition, I want to ride him in the best way to get a good result.”

Dee Majesty

Yoshitaka Ninomiya, trainer
“He seems refreshed after his last race, and we’ve had this race in mind since then. He’s looked just a little heavy, but the condition of his back seems better, and the jockey (Masayoshi Ebina) has worked him well leading up to the race. I believe the jockey understands the horse well enough. We’ll send the horse over on Friday, just to get him settled into the different surroundings.”

Akio Shimada, groom
“He finished fourth in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) over 3,000 meters at the track, so hopefully he can stay an extra 200 meters. Other than that, we have no worries.”

Masayoshi Ebina, jockey
“I think he’s better now with the training – a bit lighter and sharper. He’s a powerful horse, and it would be good to see him run to his full potential once more.”

Fata Morgana

Jun Sato, assistant trainer
“Since coming back to the stable, he’s trained well and his movement’s been good. He doesn’t need a fast pace, but more of a stamina testing race would suit him. The way he’s developed should help him.”

Yoshiyuki Arakawa, trainer
“He’s done his work well in training and has looked good by giving him his usual rotation.”

Gold Actor

Tadashige Nakagawa, trainer
“He hasn’t been able to win recently, just taking a little time to pick up when it matters. His last race was his first in a while, but I think he’s better when he’s had a run. Everything has been fine with him in training. The 3,200 meters is a bit of an unknown, but we’ve given him a change of jockey (Yokoyama) this time, and I want to see a different Gold Actor in this big race.”

Kitasan Black

Hisashi Shimizu, trainer
“He’s been doing so well, and we just take every race as it comes with him, but he just seems to get better and better. I’m not thinking of the other horses, but I do want to beat Satono Diamond this time around. I’m not worried about the draw. My horse can race in second or third, or take the lead if nobody else wants to go on. He recently weighed 542kg, which is more than he was for the Osaka Hai, but even this seems to be him still developing his strength. Hopefully all goes well in the race and we can get back to back victories in the Tenno Sho (Spring).”

Yutaka Take, jockey
“Of course, I’m excited about riding him again. In this last year, the horse has improved so much in so many ways. He’s gotten bigger, but his stability is very good. I want to do it again for his owner, Mr. Kitajima.”

Labradorite

Takashi Saito, trainer
“He came back from the farm in good condition, and it’s the best I’ve seen him since he joined my stable. He’s good for an 8-year-old, especially when given a break. He has to carry 58kg this time, but I’m not worried about that. I think the long distance on turf will suit him, but he’ll need to be handy and trying to stay on, as opposed to trying to close late which will be tough for him.”

One and Only

Shinsuke Hashiguchi, trainer
“He needs to find his rhythm from the start, and doesn’t need to be hurried into things. Ideally an inside gate would be good and he can just grab a handy position and run smoothly, finding his own pace.”

Ryuji Wada, jockey
“His back seems fine, and there’s no tiredness about him now. He needs to be ridden in a way to conserve his energy, and I hope with what he’s done in training, he can take on the strong field here.”

Shigeyuki Kojima, trainer
“I think she’s in better condition than she was for her last race. The outer course at Kyoto should suit, and I think she can run well despite the strong opposition. In the home straight, there should be plenty of room, and if she can get a run up the inside, it’s possible for her to achieve a better finish this time.”

Rainbow Line

Toshikazu Wakamatsu, groom
“He had put on 10kg for his last race, which is him filling out and developing. He ran well last time, and it got a bit tight on the run for home, so I think he could have finished closer if things had gone his way. He ran in the Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) last year, so I don’t think the distance is a problem, especially given the condition he’s in now.”

Keiichi Asami, assistant trainer
“I think he can show his best over this trip, and I expect him to be there at the end, fighting at the finish.”

Satono Diamond

Yasutoshi Ikee, trainer
“The horse looks good all round. His breathing is fine, and his responses in training have been good: he’s in great shape, basically. He has been relaxed during the light work we’ve given him this past week. There is extra distance involved this time, but on the first lap I think he can find a good rhythm and respond well to the course undulations. It should be an easy race for him.”

Christophe Lemaire, jockey
“My No. 1 rival is undoubtedly Kitasan Black, so I’ll need to keep an eye on him. I’d like to ride a similar race to last year’s Arima Kinen (Grand Prix). Satono Diamond starts slower than Kitasan Black, so I’ll probably take up a position around midfield. The staff at the stable have done a great job, and the horse is in top condition. I really feel he’s matured since last autumn.”

Sciacchetra

Yasuyuki Tsujino, assistant trainer
“He’s really coming on well, and everything’s been satisfactory with him. He’s not always a fast starter, but gets into his races well. We don’t know about the 3,200 meters, but his pedigree is good. I think he has the ability to race from anywhere during the race, and there are absolutely no worries with him.”

Spirits Minoru

Masaru Honda, trainer
“He’s not a horse to do a lot in training. There’s little change in his condition. All being well, he’ll be able to show some power when racing this time.”

Hirokazu Hashimoto, assistant trainer
“He’s run over longer distances before. This is a Grade 1, so I think there’ll be some pace on. If he’s able to put his staying power to good use, I think he can run a good race.”

Tamamo Best Play

Katsumi Minai, trainer
“We haven’t really pushed him, except for getting him to finish off in his training, and he’s moved well when doing this. He’s not one to fly home at the finish in his races, but he has experience at the long distances at Kyoto, and ideally he’d just track one of the stronger horses that takes the lead and take a sit in behind. I’d like to see him do well in this strong field.”

Tosen Basil

Nobuyuki Tashiro, assistant trainer
“We’re not worried about him getting into the flow of things over the extended trip. It’s been a while since he’s run at Kyoto, but he’s done alright there. He’s developed well, particularly his hind quarters. I think if the pace goes on, he can handle it, and if he can produce here, he can hold his own against some of the strong horses.”

Yamakatsu Raiden

Kaneo Ikezoe, trainer
“I think the long distance is fine for him, and he has won over the outer course at Kyoto, although it was in a lower class. I don’t think he’ll prove weak in this Grade 1, providing he can run his own race. Hopefully, he can get a lead and maintain it, ideally right into the home straight.”

Kohei Matsuyama, jockey
“His responses are good, and he’s a big striding horse as I imagined. I don’t think he’ll do badly running over the 3,200 meters for the first time.”